Harvard firefighters were called to extinguish a controlled burn started by a property owner about 11:30 a.m. Sunday in the 6000 block of State Line Road outside the city after winds picked up and blew flames toward a barn, Harvard Fire Protection District Chief Larry Kane said.
No injuries were reported in the incident, and the barn sustained less than $500 worth of damage, if any, he said.
The property owner at the site was burning a large rubbish pile, when conditions grew windier and made the owner nervous about flames spreading, Kane said. That’s when the owner called emergency responders and they quickly put the fire out and monitored the site for about an hour to ensure no hot spots led to new flares, Kane said.
“Just as a reminder to everyone that McHenry County does have controlled burn ordinances,” Kane said.
He said burning should only be done when wind speeds are very low and that people should “be aware of their surroundings” when burning.